$2500 Gaming Build - Need a look over!

[mvee18]

Approximate Purchase Date: Sometime this month to next month.

Budget Range: $2500

System Usage from Most to Least Important: Gaming, General Use

Parts Not Required: OS, I have a few monitors but, I might want another.

Preferred Website(s) for Parts: Newegg.com

Country: USA

Parts Preferences: Intel CPU; Probably AMD GPU, unless Kepler is worth the wait.

Overclocking: Yes

SLI or Crossfire: In the future

Monitor Resolution: 1080p

Additional Comments: Here's what I have so far.

Motherboard: ASUS P8Z68 Deluxe/Gen 3 LGA 1155 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131791

Case: Aerocool Strike-X ST http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=1440029&CatId=1510

CPU: i5 2500K http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115072

PSU: Antec 850w Modular http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817371053

RAM: (2x4GB) G.Skill Sniper 2133 MHz http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231519

or G.Skill Sniper 8GB 1866 (1.5v)

GPU: XFX 7970 Black Edition http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150591 or similar 7970.

CPU Cooler: H100 Extreme Cooler http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835181017

HDD: Caviar Black 1TB http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136533

SSD (OS): Crucial M4 128GB http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820148442

Keyboard: Razer Marauder Starcraft II Gaming Keyboard http://us.blizzard.com/store/details.xml?id=1100001512

Mouse: Spectre Starcraft II Gaming Mouse http://us.blizzard.com/store/details.xml?id=1100001511

Still need headset! I think there's about $300-400 left over!

 

[kajabla]

I'd hang around for Kepler. The 7970's got great performance, but it sounds like a jet engine. The top of the new line should be coming out within a couple of weeks.
1666mhz RAM is definitely enough.

 

[Zach996]

I recommend sennheiser pc360 for a headset

 

[g-unit1111]

I'd hang around for Kepler. The 7970's got great performance, but it sounds like a jet engine. The top of the new line should be coming out within a couple of weeks.
1666mhz RAM is definitely enough.

Yeah - don't go over 1600 as that can not only fry your whole build but it will void your warranty as well. As most of the regulars know I'm not the biggest fan of the wait for Keppler/Ivy movement that's been going on - after the overhype and subsequent disappointment of the AMD FX series, I think the Keppler / Ivy fans are going to be seriously disappointed. I'm not recommending anything until there's an actual product that's out and benchmarked. Right now it's all PR noise and insane Apple-esque overhype - and people are falling for it.

I would not recommend expensive peripherals like that - to me it's a huge waste to spend $300 on keyboards, mice, headsets, etc when the cheap ones get the job done. I know it's a lot of personal preference but I like to put that money back into the GPU - you want the best GPU you can get for the money. After the PSU it's the second most important part of any build. You can always get the accessories later - concentrate on the build first.

Here's what I recommend for a $2K+ setup:

Case: Corsair Carbide 500R - $139.99
PSU: Corsair Professional Series HX850 - $179.99
Motherboard: Asus Sabertooth X79 - $329.99
CPU: 3.30GHz Intel Core i7-3820 - $319.99
Cooler: Noctua NH-D14 - $85.99
RAM: Mushkin Enhanced Redline 1600MHz - $159.99
SSD: 128GB Crucial M4 - $164.99
HD: Samsung Ecogreen F4 2TB - $149.99
Optical: LG Blu Ray Burner - $79.99
Video Card: Sapphire Radeon HD 7970 - $559.99

Total: $2,145.90

You can use the difference to get whatever peripherals you want - I generally don't recommend those as I kind of cringe at the thought of spending $150 on a keyboard and $80 for a mouse. The other reason I don't recommend peripherals in a build is that's almost always personal preference and you can get those after you get your components - they're the easiest thing to add or remove on a system.

 

[deadlockedworld]

If you have money left over I would really bump up the SSD in size. Yes, you can use a 128 just fine, but you will have to manually manage programs in order to stay in it. In a build of this price its totally worth just getting a bigger system drive.

I have the 128 M4 (119 usable) and it really only holds the system and a few large games/programs.

 

[Ironwilly]

You can use the difference to get whatever peripherals you want - I generally don't recommend those as I kind of cringe at the thought of spending $150 on a keyboard and $80 for a mouse. The other reason I don't recommend peripherals in a build is that's almost always personal preference and you can get those after you get your components - they're the easiest thing to add or remove on a system.

I agree with a lot of the points g-unit made about the keyboard, mouse, case, and ram. I disagree with him about the Kepler being all hype however. There are credible sources of benchmarks coming out and the GTX 680 is reportedly going to be released this week. This post in particular illustrates why it may be worth the wait:

http://videocardz.com/31010/geforce-gtx-680-benchmark-leaks-out-leaves-hd-7970-behind

It seems the card will cost around the same as a 7970, outperform it, and it is more efficient. If you look around on that site, it is obviously not sponsored by one of the manufacturers and has info on all the newest video cards.

I LOVE AMD, don't get me wrong. I have just read enough about Nvidia's new offering that I am going to upgrade my GTX 570's for a pair of the GTX 680's if the performance is consistent with the info that has come out recently. The new card is going to be even better tuned for PhysX, making the games look better, and Nvidia seems to be able to get more out its drivers than AMD does as of late.

Either way you go, AMD or Nvidia, you should give it a week and just be sure before you invest $500+ into a GPU. Good luck with your system!!!

 

[deadlockedworld]

My opinion: High end accessories are completely worth it. I really love my weighted mouse, G13, and 7.1 surround headset -- they have really improved the experience for me.

 

[Ironwilly]

Oops, forgot to mention the case. I have heard absolutely great things about this case. I own a CM HAX-932, and am very happy with it, so I cannot tell you how great it is from experiences, but this case in particular seems to be getting rave reviews and it's very supported in the gaming community!

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811139007

 

[Nim Chimpsky]

My opinion: High end accessories are completely worth it. I really love my weighted mouse, G13, and 7.1 surround headset -- they have really improved the experience for me.

I agree with that. Logitech is usually a good bet. But OP picked branded accessories, which are just overpriced, not high-quality.

 

[deadlockedworld]

well 7.1 headset is not even close to a high end sound system LOL.

Hah. Yea, but its a worthy substitute. My girlfriend doesn't really enjoy the sound of FPS gunfire vibrating the house ... so I'm left with headsets.

 

[deadlockedworld]

I agree with that. Logitech is usually a good bet. But OP picked branded accessories, which are just overpriced, not high-quality.

I agree. I have all Logitech stuff - but the higher end of their selection. I meant "high-end" as in not typical consumer grade products.

 

[Ironwilly]

I love a good headset!!!! Not only because of the great sound some of them offer, but it's great to have the extra noise cancelling. Not everyone can play with their computer hooked to a home theater all the time, even if they want to. Personally, I have a 3.1 for my computer speakers, I have a home theater system connected using the optical out and a 7.1 headset. I live in an apartment, so if I'm playing games late, or talking to someone on skype and don't want them to have to listen to my music/games, I just switch to my headset. When I want to crank it up... the home theater system gets it done! Having a great headset absolutely adds to gaming!

 

[mvee18]

Yeah - don't go over 1600 as that can not only fry your whole build but it will void your warranty as well. As most of the regulars know I'm not the biggest fan of the wait for Keppler/Ivy movement that's been going on - after the overhype and subsequent disappointment of the AMD FX series, I think the Keppler / Ivy fans are going to be seriously disappointed. I'm not recommending anything until there's an actual product that's out and benchmarked. Right now it's all PR noise and insane Apple-esque overhype - and people are falling for it.

I would not recommend expensive peripherals like that - to me it's a huge waste to spend $300 on keyboards, mice, headsets, etc when the cheap ones get the job done. I know it's a lot of personal preference but I like to put that money back into the GPU - you want the best GPU you can get for the money. After the PSU it's the second most important part of any build. You can always get the accessories later - concentrate on the build first.

Here's what I recommend for a $2K+ setup:

Case: Corsair Carbide 500R - $139.99
PSU: Corsair Professional Series HX850 - $179.99
Motherboard: Asus Sabertooth X79 - $329.99
CPU: 3.30GHz Intel Core i7-3820 - $319.99
Cooler: Noctua NH-D14 - $85.99
RAM: Mushkin Enhanced Redline 1600MHz - $159.99
SSD: 128GB Crucial M4 - $164.99
HD: Samsung Ecogreen F4 2TB - $149.99
Optical: LG Blu Ray Burner - $79.99
Video Card: Sapphire Radeon HD 7970 - $559.99

Total: $2,145.90

You can use the difference to get whatever peripherals you want - I generally don't recommend those as I kind of cringe at the thought of spending $150 on a keyboard and $80 for a mouse. The other reason I don't recommend peripherals in a build is that's almost always personal preference and you can get those after you get your components - they're the easiest thing to add or remove on a system.

Isn't there little point in getting a cooler if the CPU is locked?

I'm not going to need 16GB of RAM, I just game.

I want a full tower case.

I prefer G.Skill or Corsair RAM.

Are Samsung HDD's on par with WD's?

 

[g-unit1111]

I agree with a lot of the points g-unit made about the keyboard, mouse, case, and ram. I disagree with him about the Kepler being all hype however. There are credible sources of benchmarks coming out and the GTX 680 is reportedly going to be released this week. This post in particular illustrates why it may be worth the wait:

http://videocardz.com/31010/geforce-gtx-680-benchmark-leaks-out-leaves-hd-7970-behind

It seems the card will cost around the same as a 7970, outperform it, and it is more efficient. If you look around on that site, it is obviously not sponsored by one of the manufacturers and has info on all the newest video cards.

I LOVE AMD, don't get me wrong. I have just read enough about Nvidia's new offering that I am going to upgrade my GTX 570's for a pair of the GTX 680's if the performance is consistent with the info that has come out recently. The new card is going to be even better tuned for PhysX, making the games look better, and Nvidia seems to be able to get more out its drivers than AMD does as of late.

Either way you go, AMD or Nvidia, you should give it a week and just be sure before you invest $500+ into a GPU. Good luck with your system!!!

I agree that it's definitely wait and see - and that's exactly why I am taking a wait and see attitude about Keppler. Actually *ANY* new CPUs and GPUs for that matter. I'm always a skeptic when it comes to trying something new in computer hardware but if the numbers I see don't match what I expect, I don't buy or recommend it. I'm really liking the new Radeons and I'm planning to upgrade my GPU to a 7870 as I can't exactly afford a pair of GTX 680s and it's definitely a more cost effective solution.

Isn't there little point in getting a cooler if the CPU is locked?

I'm not going to need 16GB of RAM, I just game.

The 3820 has an unlocked multiplier - you will be able to overclock. I realize 16GB is overkill for a gaming rig but for X79 that's one of the best RAM kits around and I generally try not to compromise on the components I pick.

Ya don't listen to that guy you don't need anything more than an i5 2500K for a high end gaming build and 4gb to 8gb ram is plenty and for the full tower case for you IMO the Antec 1200 is great.

Um... what? The 2500K is a great CPU don't get me wrong but if you have a $2K plus budget to work with, X79 will be far more future-proof than Z68 and P67 will be in the long run, and on higher end builds I try to be as future-proof as possible.

My opinion: High end accessories are completely worth it. I really love my weighted mouse, G13, and 7.1 surround headset -- they have really improved the experience for me.

That's why I generally don't recommend peripherals as it's all personal preference. I personally like wireless as it gives me more freedom to move but I generally leave that up to the individual user to decide what peripherals they want. The thing is it's your system and you ultimately decide what goes in it, if you want to spend $150 on a keyboard, I'm not going to stop you.

I want a full tower case.

I prefer G.Skill or Corsair RAM.

Are Samsung HDD's on par with WD's?

The Corsair Carbide and Graphite series are full tower equivalents - they're big, roomy, and very solidly constructed.

G.Skill makes great RAM, Corsair can be very questionable reliability, and I generally prefer Kingston and Crucial RAM as they have some of the lowest fail rates around.

Samsung makes great HDs (I don't know how they've been since selling their HD divison to Seagate) - I have a 1TB Spinpoint and it's been pretty flawless so far.

 

[Ironwilly]

I also agree with going with a LGA 1155 CPU is the way to go in regards to the amount of performance you get for the price.

The system you setup is very similar to my gaming rig. I'm currently using a 2500k (@4.3GHz) on a Corsair H100 water cooler, a Gigabyte GA-Z68XP-UD3 with 8GB (Patriot PXD38G1600LLK DDR3 1600), 120GB SSD (Corsair GT), 2x WD10EURS (1TB each in Raid 0), 2x GTX 570's, Corsair HX850 PSU, Cooler Master HAX 932 (Full Tower) and a Lite-On DVD-RW.

I have my OS and many games installed on my SSD (roughly 8, but WoW takes up a lot), with the remainder of apps or lesser played games on my spinner HDDs. I'm happy with the 120GB SSD. The WD standard hard drive you're looking at is better than the ones I have, you should be happy with that.

If I could change a few things with my system, I might look into a little higher quality MB. The Asus you chose is great! Also, I would probably go with the new 2550k cpu, which is a little faster from the factory but doesn't have an on-board gpu. Obviously, if I were purchasing a video card I would wait for the GTX 600 series... I prefer Nvidia.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115230&Tpk=2550k

This is the headset I'm using, and very pleased with:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16826249036

The keyboard I use (works great for RPG's and FPS but takes a week or so to get used to):
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16823239006

My Mouse (Can normally be found for around $47-50):
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16826104318&Tpk=g500

I only list all this because you seem to be going for a very similar rig. I will tell you there is nothing I cannot run max'd out @ 1920x1200 (Samsung T260 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824001276). Production applications are lightning fast and, as far as gaming goes, this is all the system I need. All in all I'm probably around the same price range you're looking at now, but you can substitute your preference of components in as you see fit. You'll be very happy with your system!

 

[azeem40]

^ Lol, liquid cooling has an air cooler equivalent that is quieter and much safer to use. What are you basing your ridiculous claims on? Since when is the i5-2500k overkill for gaming? It is the best bang for buck. I suggest researching more before giving false information.

 

[Ironwilly]

I'm pretty sure g-unit was simply making the point that it is a faster cpu, and at a $2500 budget, it would probably work very well for him. The 3820 does have a track record of being faster than the i7-2700k and being able to overclock as high.

The issue I had with the CPU's above the 2500k was that the performance I would have gained simply didn't justify the extra money. The 2600k and 2700k were both available when i purchased my 2500k, I simply couldn't justify the extra $100+. That was my preference though... I also didn't spend the extra $300 to go with 2x GTX 580s instead of my 570s.

Mvee18, what games are you planning on playing? Also, what resolution is your monitor and are you going to be running multiple monitors for gaming?

 

[azeem40]

You think proper cooling of the processor will get stressed? The ONLY way to ruin a processor is by not having proper heatsink fan on the CPU to cool it, so your point is moot. Getting an i5-2500k on his budget will NEVER make the GPU underpowered.

 

[mvee18]

Hey hey! Okay, chillllllllll out.

For Ironwilly's question; I will be playing games like SC 2, BF3, MW3, Metro 2033, WOW, Civ 5, Skyrim.

I have 2 1080p monitors.

@G-unit1111; Please excuse my ignorance to the fact that it could be overclocked. Your build looks pretty nice, although, I may want to switch out some of the components, and was my build complete crap?

 

[g-unit1111]

Cable sleeving kits are completely useless, IMO, and I don't touch liquid cooling on any build, as it has the potential to void many a warranty but do what you want.

The 2500K is the perfect CPU right now - it's not overkill. The 3820 is a pretty good alternative as X79 will be around a lot longer where Z68 and P67 are dead ends after Ivy (when it will be released... ?).

@G-unit1111; Please excuse my ignorance to the fact that it could be overclocked. Your build looks pretty nice, although, I may want to switch out some of the components, and was my build complete crap?

Your build looks pretty good - you definitely have a good motherboard and GPU picked out, but I don't touch liquid cooling which is why I didn't recommend the H100, and that case is pretty decent, a similar suggestion if I may offer one is the Azza Hurricane 2000: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811517010

It's a full tower case and I really like the front-loading HD bays. I've had some cases (like my crappy Apevia one) that made installing HDs the biggest chore and I always try to find cases where it's really easy to add / remove drives.

I'm pretty sure g-unit was simply making the point that it is a faster cpu, and at a $2500 budget, it would probably work very well for him. The 3820 does have a track record of being faster than the i7-2700k and being able to overclock as high.

The issue I had with the CPU's above the 2500k was that the performance I would have gained simply didn't justify the extra money. The 2600k and 2700k were both available when i purchased my 2500k, I simply couldn't justify the extra $100+. That was my preference though... I also didn't spend the extra $300 to go with 2x GTX 580s instead of my 570s.

1. Yeah I'll definitely recommend the 3820 over the 2700K - the 2700K is a moot point and a marketing gimmick as Intel knows that high-end users will want the fastest speeds they can get but everyone knows that the 2600K can clock way faster than the 2700K can.

2. True for the most part - I didn't recommend the 3930K for that reason as it'll be *YEARS* before games catch up to hex-core technology. They're just beginning to catch up to quad core and they'll certainly be a while before catching up to hyperthreading or using all CPU cores to their advantage.

For a gaming rig put the money into GPUs when you already have an is 2500K end of story.

While I agree with that for the most part, with X79 you get full PCI-E 3.0 support out of the box with no need to upgrade to Ivy, which was the point I was originally trying to make. If you have the best GPU on the market, you want to use it to it's full potential, am I right? You don't want to water it down with a CPU that can't utilize it to it's full potential.

 

[Ironwilly]

Mvee18.... you are pretty much in the exact same boat as me. I play all of those, with the exception of Civ 5 and Metro 2033. I also have Fear 3, Rage, Kingdoms of Amalur, Torchlight, Alan Wake, Mass Effect 1-3, and Trine 2 currently installed. I also run a second monitor, but it's a 1080p TV and I don't (typically) use it when I'm gaming.

If you saw my system specs that I posted, you'll see that I am probably right at the same budget and very similar specs, with the only major difference being the video cards. I will say, a single 7970 (or GTX 680) will be enough to impress you with the rest of the components you chose. If you use both monitors for gaming, AMD may have the slight edge. Eyefinity 2 is absolutely amazing for multi-monitor setups.

Whether you want to go with the LGA 2011 CPUs or the 1155s, you won't be disappointed. If it is between buying a more expensive CPU or buying a better GPU: spend your money on the GPU, hands down! That is where a gaming system is made, and neither of the Intels you're looking at will disappoint!

 

[mvee18]

So, what CPU are you guys recommending, the 2500K or the 3820?

 

[Ironwilly]

[The 2500K would be a great CPU for a gaming rig and there is really no need to spend more than $200 on a CPU for even the highest end gaming rig and as the resolution goes up the CPU usage goes down which brings me to my next point OP would do well to invest into a 2560x1440 monitor.

You're kind of contradicting yourself here man. On one hand you're saying that spending more money on a CPU isn't a good idea, but you're recommending he use a monitor that is going to cost $800-1000. I don't think this guy is a professional gamer and he doesn't sound like he's a graphic designer; what on earth does he need a monitor of that resolution for?

While I see your point about the 2500k, also keep in mind that the LGA 2011 MBs can use hexa-core CPU's. This is something the LGA 1155 MBs simply cannot do, making the X79 a more upgradable platform... g-unit knows what he's talking about.

 

[mvee18]

You are correct, I'm going to go with g-unit's CPU/Mobo. For the prof. gamer and gfx designer assumptions, you are correct.

 

[mvee18]

It's not that the 2500k is a bad CPU, Ironwilly's point is that 1155 boards cannot support hex-core. Therefore, it would be less cost to upgrade in the future.